lombard



C. E. LOIVIBARD.

Watch Key No. 63.271. Patented March 26, 1867.

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G. E. LOMBARD, OESPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, A. 0.. SINCLAIR AND C. C. MERRITT, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 63,271, dated Mm'c7r26, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN KEYS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I,C. E. LOMBARD, of Springfield, Hampden county, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Keys; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked'thereon. In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side view of my invention when open; and

Figure, 2, a side view of the same when shut, it being adapted in this case to watch keys.

Figures 3 and 4 being similar views of its adaptation to keys of ordinary locks.

In construction I form my key of two parts, one being the shaft or part which, in an ordinary key, enters the key-hole and works theratchet or lock, as the case may be, the other being the handle, which is formed of a single piece of suitable spring material, bent around so as to bring both its ends parallel to each other, and nearly together. The insides of these two ends form two grooves, which fit around the round surface of the shaft, which is pivoted at one end between them, the centre-pin being fitted tight into the shaft and working into suitable orifices in the ends of the handle. Arranged thus the handle forms a spring, which keeps the shaft sufi'iciently tight in its place, the rivet preventing it from turning when used. But by pressing the shaft around out of the grooves it opens the ends of the handle further apart, as the edges of the grooves only rest upon the surface of theshaft. But if carried around still further, until it occupies an exactly reverse position to its first one, it again fits into the grooves and is held there 'as firmly as before by the spring of the handle and the grooves themselves. In this manner the key may be opened or shut at pleasure, being held comparatively tight in two positions, in one open and ready for use, in the other shut up together.

In the drawings, A is the shaft pivoted at one end, between the ends of the handle B at C. In figs. 2 and 4 it is seen that the shaft 4 is shut up in the handle B, and in figs. 1 and 3 it is open and ready for use. Theend of the shaft fits close up against the inside of the handle, preventing dirt from getting into the bore. The ends of the pivot c c are made sufiiciently long to guard against being worked out of the orifices in the ends of the handle when the shaft is being pressed around, these ends being widened, as before stated, during the passage. The advantage of this arrangement'is, that while it forms a key which only occupies. about half the length of space which a key of the same size, constructed in the ordinary manner, would necessarily occupy, at the same time the end of the shaft fitting up against the inside of the handle, the dirt is prevented from getting into the bore and filling it up, as is frequently the case in an ordinary key.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a key formed of two parts, A and B, constructed and arranged so that the handle B shall close over the opening in the shaft A,substantially as set forth.

CHAS. E. LOMBARD.

W'itn esses:

.3 B. Gunman, EDWARD H. HYDE. 

